Christians dine with Muslims in a show of interfaith support

Together, the Christians and the Muslims walked at dusk from the Islamic school to the Islamic Center of Orlando. Together, they ate figs and chickpeas and fruit salad to end the fasting of Ramadan. Together, they lined up in rows inside the mosque and prayed.

"This is what we should see all over the nation," said Raza Ali, 62, a member of the mosque. "We have to be together. We should fight together those who go to the extremes."

The interfaith gathering Monday night of Christians and Muslims, along with some Jewish friends of the mosque, was a show of support, unity and faith at a time when the nation seems drawn to polarizing extremes over religion and terrorism.

Some of the 70 non-Muslims who participated in the Islamic observance said they came because in times of divisiveness, it's essential for people to come together.

"I believe in finding interfaith common ground," said Ron Wilensky, 61, a member of the Windermere Union Church.

Imam Tariq Rasheed, director of the Islamic Center in southwest Orange County, said that "this past year there's been growing Islamaphobia spreading in the U.S. We felt we had to show the real faith of Islam to the people. They need to know who we are. Everybody is not Osama bin Laden."

About two dozen members of St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Orlando were among those who attended the meal, called an Iftar.

"To be supportive of our Muslim friends is an important value for us," said Pastor Bill Barnes.

The meal, which drew about 300 people, took place after sunset, signifying the end of the monthlong fast of Ramadan. During Ramadan, Muslims refrain from eating and drinking from dusk to dawn as a lesson in patience, humility and spirituality.

The Methodist church also participated last year in the meal, but this year is different: There are protests and outrage over a proposed mosque and cultural centernear the ground zero site in New York City. A Jacksonville mosque was firebombed, and vandals destroyed equipment at a Tennessee mosque under construction. Plans by a small fundamentalist Gainesville church to burn Quransto mark the anniversary of 9-11 sparked a nationwide furor.

At a time when Muslims are feeling isolated, ostracized and under attack, the willingness of people of other faiths to pray and eat with members of the Islamic Center is significant, Rasheed said.

In South Florida, too, Muslim leaders are hosting open houses and interfaith conferences to counterfear, confusion and misconceptions about what Islam is and what it represents. The Islamic Center of Boca Raton is planning an open house this week, along with an interfaith Iftar dinner.

"When people from different faiths share stories and experiences, and how they think of each other, it promotes tolerance and understanding," said Bassem Al Halabi of the Boca Raton mosque.

Respect and acceptance of another's faith doesn't come from one meal, one night, one mutual prayer meeting, the Methodists observed. Monday night was one moment in an evolving relationship.

"We were doing these things with our Muslim neighbors before the mosque issue arose," Barnes said. "I think we will move through this [anti-Muslim sentiment], but there needs to be recognition that people are people, and it's unfair to characterize a whole group of people based on one extreme element."

At the end of the prayer in the mosque, Rasheed thanked those who came and offered a prayer for all: "May God bless us all, and may God let us live in peace."

James D. Davis of the Sun Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale contributed to this report. Jeff Kunerth can be reached at jkunerth@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5392.

Religion World asked a minister, an imam and an atheist to give Three Reasons why they believe in a Holy Spirit or not. Here are their responses. =================================================================================